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Daniel 7

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Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts and the Son of Man

1 In the first year of Belshazzar the king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head [as he lay] on his bed; then he wrote down the dream [and] [the] {summary} of [the] words {as follows}:
2 Daniel {explained} and said, "I was looking in my vision in the night, and look, the four winds of heaven were stirring [up] the great sea.
3 And four great beasts [were] coming up from the sea, differing {from one another}.
4 The first [was] like [a] lion and {had} [the] wings of an eagle. I was watching until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth and it was raised on [its] feet like a human, and a human heart was given to it.
5 And look, another beast, a second one, looking like a bear. And it was raised up on one side and three tusks [were] in its mouth between its teeth, and so {it was told}, "Arise, eat much flesh!"
6 After this I was watching and look, another [beast] like a leopard; {it had four wings} of a bird on its back, and {the beast had} four heads, and dominion was given to it.
7 After this in the visions of the night I was looking and there was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightful and exceedingly strong, and {it had} {great iron teeth}, [and it was] devouring and crushing, and it stamped the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all [the other] beasts {that preceded it} {and it had ten horns}.
8 I was considering the horns, and look, another little horn came up {among} them, and three of the earlier horns {were rooted out} from before it, and there were eyes like the eyes of [a] human in this horn and [also] a mouth [that was] speaking boastfully.
9 "{I continued watching} until thrones were placed and an Ancient of Days sat; his clothing [was] like white snow and the hair of his head [was] like pure wool and his throne [was] a flame of fire and its wheels [were] burning fire.
10 A stream of fire issued forth and flowed {from his presence}; thousands [upon] thousands served him and ten thousand [upon] ten thousand stood before him. The judge sat, and [the] books were opened.
11 "{I continued watching} then because of the noise of the boastful words of the horn [who was] speaking; {I continued watching} until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed, and it was given [over] to burning with fire.
12 And [as for] the remainder of the beasts, {their dominion was taken away}, but a prolongation {of their life} was given to them for a season and a time.
13 "{I continued watching} in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven [one] like a son of man was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and {was presented} before him.
14 And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that all the peoples, the nations, and languages [would] serve him; his dominion [is] a dominion {without end} that will not cease, and his kingdom [is one] that will not be destroyed.

Daniel Explains and Interprets the Vision

15 "{As for me, Daniel}, my spirit was troubled {within me}, and the visions of my head terrified me.
16 [So] I approached one of the attendants and I asked him [about] the truth concerning all this; and he told me [that] he would make known to me the explanation of the matter.
17 'These great beasts which are four [in number] [are] four kings [who] will arise from the earth.
18 But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will take possession of the kingdom forever, {forever and ever}.'
19 "Then I desired to make certain concerning the fourth beast that was different from {all the others}--exceedingly terrifying, with its iron teeth and its claws of bronze; it devoured and crushed [and] stamped the remainder with its feet--
20 and concerning the horns that [were] on its head, and [concerning] [the] other [horn] that came up and {before which three horns fell}, and this horn {had eyes} and [a] mouth speaking {boastfully}, and its appearance [was] larger than its companions.
21 {I continued watching}, and this horn made war with [the] holy ones and it prevailed over them,
22 until the Ancient of Days came and gave judgment to [the] holy ones of [the] Most High; and the time arrived and [the] holy ones took possession of the kingdom.
23 "And he said, 'The fourth beast [is] the fourth kingdom [that] will be on the earth that will be different from all the [other] kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and it will trample it and it will crush it.
24 And [as for] the ten horns [coming] from it, [from] this kingdom ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. And he will be different from the earlier [ones], and he will subdue three kings.
25 And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will wear out [the] holy ones of the Most High, and he will attempt to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time and two times and half a time.
26 Then the court will sit, and his dominion will be removed, to be eradicated and to be destroyed {totally}.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to [the] nation of [the] holy ones of the Most High; his kingdom {is an everlasting kingdom}, and all the dominions will serve and obey him.'
28 {This is the end of the account}. {As for me, Daniel}--my thoughts terrified me greatly and my face changed over me, but I kept the matter in my heart."
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Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

Daniel's vision of the four beasts. (1-8) and of Christ's kingdom. (9-14) The interpretation. (15-28)

Verses 1-8 This vision contains the same prophetic representations with Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The great sea agitated by the winds, represented the earth and the dwellers on it troubled by ambitious princes and conquerors. The four beasts signified the same four empires, as the four parts of Nebuchadnezzar's image. Mighty conquerors are but instruments of God's vengeance on a guilty world. The savage beast represents the hateful features of their characters. But the dominion given to each has a limit; their wrath shall be made to praise the Lord, and the remainder of it he will restrain.

Verses 9-14 These verses are for the comfort and support of the people of God, in reference to the persecutions that would come upon them. Many New Testament predictions of the judgment to come, have plain allusion to this vision; especially ( revelation 20:11 revelation 20:12 ) . The Messiah is here called the Son of man; he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was found in fashion as a man, but he is the Son of God. The great event foretold in this passage, is Christ's glorious coming, to destroy every antichristian power, and to render his own kingdom universal upon earth. But ere the solemn time arrives, for manifesting the glory of God to all worlds in his dealings with his creatures, we may expect that the doom of each of us will be determined at the hour of our death; and before the end shall come, the Father will openly give to his incarnate Son, our Mediator and Judge, the inheritance of the nations as his willing subjects.

Verses 15-28 It is desirable to obtain the right and full sense of what we see and hear from God; and those that would know, must ask by faithful and fervent prayer. The angel told Daniel plainly. He especially desired to know respecting the little horn, which made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. Here is foretold the rage of papal Rome against true Christians. St. John, in his visions and prophecies, which point in the first place at Rome, has plain reference to these visions. Daniel had a joyful prospect of the prevalence of God's kingdom among men. This refers to the second coming of our blessed Lord, when the saints shall triumph in the complete fall of Satan's kingdom. The saints of the Most High shall possess the kingdom for ever. Far be it from us to infer from hence, that dominion is founded on grace. It promises that the gospel kingdom shall be set up; a kingdom of light, holiness, and love; a kingdom of grace, the privileges and comforts of which shall be the earnest and first-fruits of the kingdom of glory. But the full accomplishment will be in the everlasting happiness of the saints, the kingdom that cannot be moved. The gathering together the whole family of God will be a blessedness of Christ's coming.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Footnotes 55

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 7

This chapter contains Daniel's vision of the four beasts, The time, place, manner, writing, and declaration of the vision, Da 7:1, the rise of the beasts, and the description of them, Da 7:2-8, the judgment of God upon them, especially the last, and the delivery of universal monarchy to his Son, Da 7:9-14, the interpretation of the vision at the request of Daniel, being greatly affected with it, Da 7:15-18, a particular inquiry of his about the fourth beast, concerning which a full account is given, Da 7:19-27, all which caused in him many thoughts of heart, and reflections of mind, Da 7:28.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Daniel 7 Commentaries

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.